Balance trainer

ABSTRACT

A balance trainer having a supporting shaft provided with a saddle. The supporting shaft may sway by means of the interaction of a plurality of permanent magnets and electromagnets for achievement of the effect of balance training. Further, each electromagnet is controlled by a preset program in a microcomputer and a related controller.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Fields of the Invention

The invention relates to a balance trainer, and particularly to a balance trainer that is silently driven by the interaction of electromagnets and permanent magnets.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, mainly with a saddle that is driven to sway, the so-called balance trainer as disclosed in Japanese Patent Nos. 2003-010290 and 2003-010291 lets a user sitting on the saddle adjust the center of gravity of his or her body depending on the sway state of saddle at any time, in order to prevent from falling off, and then the effect of balance training is achieved.

However, the saddle according to the conventional invention is driven by an electric motor, toothed wheels, screws, connecting rods, or cams as the driving components of a conventional motor so as to sway in a desirable way. It is nevertheless especially noted that loud, carking noise is made with drive and friction at the drive mode. Accordingly, further improvement is certainly necessary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, due to the fact mentioned above, in order to effectively prevent the defects inevitably deriving from the conventional product on the basic structure design, the inventor actively researched and developed with great concentration in evidence of many years of experience in this industry so that The invention may be achieved soon; for this reason, non-contact magnetic components are used for the purpose of equivalent drive performance and further the balance trainer making no noise a bit from exercise is provided, which is the aim of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accomplishment of this and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and its accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a structural view illustrating a preferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plane view illustrating the embodiment of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view of another preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Now, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of the invention are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed.

First, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrating a preferred embodiment of this invention, the invention comprises a main body 10 with stands 11, a supporting shaft 20 above which a saddle 21 is provided, and a positioning plate 30. A plurality of permanent magnets 22 with particular magnetism are disposed around the bottom end of the supporting shaft 20. Besides, the main body 10 includes electromagnets 12 provided opposite to each other with respect to the permanent magnets. Thus, when a preset program in a microcomputer 40 connects with a controller 50, more than one electromagnet 12 does mutually magnetic action, such as mutual attraction or repulsion, expectedly with the opposite permanent magnets 22 in unit time, thereby acting force on the supporting shaft 20 to sway in a relative position. In this way, the expected performance is achieved.

In short, when a certain pair of electromagnets 12 and permanent magnets 22 (briefly named interaction pairs hereinafter) that are opposite to each other are mutually attracted or repulsive, the supporting shaft 20 may sway in the relative position depending on the stress condition. Accordingly, the interaction pairs are randomly changed continuously in unit time so that the saddle 21 may give birth to the expected performance of random sway.

Indeed, in order to ensure an automatic return of the supporting shaft 20 to its original position, before the supporting shaft 20 is subject to compression, an elastic part 31 may be interposed between a spacer 23 of the supporting shaft 20 and the positioning plate 30.

The built-in program preset in the microcomputer 40 is not in the scope of patent examination, so unnecessary details are not given hereinafter.

With further reference to FIG. 3 illustrating the other preferred embodiment of this invention, the electromagnets 12 and the permanent magnets 22 are so positioned that a vertical (up and down) interaction takes place. Thus, the supporting shaft 20 may run in another direction, as indicated with arrows, and the expected running effect remains.

In fact, according to this invention, the position of the electromagnet 12 and that of the permanent magnet 22 may be exchanged, and the equivalent function of electromagnetism remains none the less.

While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A balance trainer comprising a supporting shaft provided with a saddle, the supporting shaft swaying by means of the interaction of a plurality of permanent magnets and electromagnets.
 2. The balance trainer of claim 1 wherein the operation of each electromagnet is controlled by a preset program in a microcomputer and a related controller.
 3. A balance trainer comprising a main body with stands, a supporting shaft with a saddle disposed at the top end thereof, and a positioning plate, wherein a plurality of permanent magnets with particular magnetism are disposed around the bottom end of the supporting shaft, and wherein the main body includes electromagnets provided opposite to each other with respect to the permanent magnets, whereby, when a preset program in a microcomputer connects with a controller, more than one electromagnet does mutually magnetic action, such as mutual attraction or repulsion, expectedly with the opposite permanent magnets in unit time, thereby acting force on the supporting shaft to sway in a relative position.
 4. The balance trainer of claim 1 wherein an elastic part is interposed between a spacer of the supporting shaft and the positioning plate.
 5. The balance trainer of claim 3 wherein the operation of each electromagnet is controlled by a preset program in a microcomputer and a related controller.
 6. The balance trainer of claim 3 wherein the electromagnets and the permanent magnets are so positioned that a vertical (up and down) interaction takes place.
 7. The balance trainer of claim 3 wherein the position of the electromagnet and that of the permanent magnet is exchangeable. 